Executive Summary
- Ricardo Ruiz was found not guilty of misdemeanor assault regarding a stun gun incident at a March protest.
- The jury accepted the defense’s argument that Ruiz acted in self-defense during an altercation with demonstrators.
- Ruiz remains in custody on $250,000 bail facing 11 felony counts from a separate armed standoff with police in April.
- Defense attorneys are seeking mental health diversion for the pending felony charges.
A jury in Alameda County has acquitted Ricardo Gonzalez Ruiz of misdemeanor assault charges stemming from a confrontation involving a stun gun at a political protest outside a Tesla dealership in Berkeley earlier this year. The verdict was delivered on Monday following a six-day trial, effectively clearing Ruiz of criminal liability in the specific incident which occurred in March.
According to court records, the jury found the 34-year-old defendant not guilty of the single misdemeanor assault count. A separate charge of exhibiting a deadly weapon had been dismissed previously by the court due to a lack of sufficient evidence. The charges arose from a counter-protest Ruiz staged against demonstrators targeting Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Witnesses reported that Ruiz, a supporter of President Donald Trump, arrived on a bicycle playing music to counter the anti-Musk gathering.
During the event, tensions escalated when demonstrators reportedly attempted to force Ruiz to leave. Susan Kegeles, a participant in the protest, told reporters that she approached Ruiz and admitted to pulling his hair and attempting to drag him off his bicycle. In response to the physical alteration, Ruiz displayed a stun gun. Amber Vincent, the defense attorney representing Ruiz, argued throughout the proceedings that her client had acted solely in self-defense, a perspective the jury ultimately accepted.
Despite this legal victory, Ruiz remains incarcerated at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on $250,000 bail due to a separate, more severe legal matter. In April, Ruiz was involved in an armed standoff with police during which he was shot by an officer. In relation to that incident, he faces 11 felony counts, including assault on a police officer and exhibiting a firearm. His legal counsel in the felony case has requested a mental health diversion, which is currently under judicial consideration.
Legal Ramifications and Procedural Status
While the acquittal in the stun gun case removes one layer of legal trouble for the defendant, the pending felony charges present a significantly higher threshold of legal jeopardy. The request for mental health diversion suggests a defense strategy focused on mitigating factors regarding the defendant’s psychological state during the April standoff with law enforcement. If granted, such a diversion could alter the trajectory of the prosecution, potentially prioritizing treatment over incarceration. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
